00:00Many young Australians the idea of moving away from your hometown is an exciting prospect
00:04but what does it actually look like? Whether it's for job opportunity or as simple as a change of
00:09scenery how do you decide where to live and is it more affordable than the big cities?
00:14I think it was definitely cheaper than a big city. I was expecting to have to pay more than what
00:20I do
00:22so yeah that was a good surprise. According to the most recent data from February 2026 by
00:27suburb trends rental markets across regional Victoria and southern New South Wales remain
00:32under severe supply pressure. For young renters like Ashley moving regional was full of exciting
00:39uncertainties. I guess it was a bit daunting um I did I hadn't lived out of home in my old
00:47town so
00:47yeah it was a bit stressful trying to make sure that my new housemates were going to be good. Young
00:55people bring energy creativity and arts and music um cultural and linguistic diversity to a place.
01:04James Goring is a lecturer in education at Deakin University and he said without people coming to
01:10these regional towns it can have a flow on effect on all industries. Local state government and even
01:17local industries big industries like the meat processing that you've got down there and the
01:24um the dairies and things who are attracting a lot of workers newspapers whatever they need to put their
01:30heads together collectively and recognize that this is a problem. Democracy is pretty boring but it is it does
01:38work in some ways and I think it's really important that young people vote and turn up and you know
01:44ask for leaders who are going to represent them and their interests and if housing is a major issue
01:52vote in politicians who are going to address that problem. With more young people moving from big cities
01:58to regional every year housing remains a high priority.
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